REVIEWS

"The kids at McCallum Fine Arts Academy are Exhibit A when it comes to keeping arts in schools, and keeping talented students on the track to Broadway."— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

The 39 Steps

"Impressively designed by McCallum's own gifted tech students, The 39 Steps proved once again, that McCallum is no ordinary high school program."

-BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

42nd Street

“MacTheatre’s production of 42ND STREET exudes pure Broadway bliss from the moment a massive line of energetic tap dancers greets the audience from behind a rising curtain. Come along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway...only it won’t lull you to sleep.”

— MADELYN GEYER, BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“This exuberant show knows what it is and allows the audience to care for its characters, rejoice in their victories, and believe in their dreams.”

— MADELYN GEYER, BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“Almost every aspect of this production, under the direction of Joshua O’Daniel Denning, possesses a level of professionalism and talent rarely seen in most high school productions. Glittering backdrops, a robust orchestra, impressive sets, and brightly colored costumes enrich the delightful performances.”

— MADELYN GEYER, BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Act One

"Director Joshua O'Daniel Denning has done a wonderful job with this sprawling work. It is tremendously entertaining and touching and major kudos must be extended for giving these young performers such juicy material to stretch them. This Fine Arts Academy has tackled a show that few professional companies in this town could even touch. Also, I applaud him for using two pianists, on stage, to recreate the original music by Louis Rosen that was used in the Broadway production. The staging, on the dazzling two story set, by Technical Director Laura Kieler, moves from locale to locale with ease and style. The lighting design by Sarah Kay Stephens is near perfect. The costume designs, by Skel Gracie, were all period perfect."

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

"In all, I was greatly amused and moved at all the right moments by this solid production. McCallum Fine Arts Academy may be High School Theatre, but it is not your average High School theatre. McCallum challenges the young artists of today on their journey to becoming the theatre professionals of tomorrow... and Austin is all the richer for this valued institution."

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Beauty and the Beast

“I was completely awestruck by the talent and professionalism of these high school students."

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Bonnie & Clyde

“Daring, bold and fearless as it breaks from the status quo.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“Director Joshua Denning does a fantastic job of bringing the characters and dustbowl setting to life. The characters and relationships are pinpoint sharp, and as scenic designer, Denning has created a claustrophobic environment which constantly traps Bonnie and Clyde.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“Clear and strong.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“While it may be unconventional for a High School to receive the Texas Premiere of a new Broadway musical, McCallum Fine Arts Academy is by no means a conventional High School. Their student performers and designers as just as professional as anyone else, and as complex and difficult as Bonnie and Clyde is, the cast and team at McCallum pulls it off.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Cyrano The Musical

“The McCallum Fine Arts Academy mounts a strong production and the cast is chock full of talent... In fact, as one would expect from Austin’s Fine Arts Academy, the entire huge cast holds promise.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“I invite you to be just like a friend who I ran into on opening night. I asked her if she knew someone in the show and she said “No, we just come see the shows because they’re good.” And they are.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Les Miserables

“McCallum Fine Arts Academy doesn’t do High School theater. They do Theater. With a capital T. The quality of the work from these young performers and designers is just as strong as what you’d find from other Austin-based theater companies, and that tradition of quality continues with their current production of Les Miserables.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“McCallum puts its own stamp on it, largely due to director Joshua Denning’s interesting and unorthodox vision for the show. Denning, who starred as Enjolras in Zach Theatre’s recent production of the musical, takes a darker, edgier approach with this production.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“The set, with its clear nods to German Expressionist films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, is particularly unexpected but effective, but what is more extraordinary is that the work of these student designers is as clear, polished, and focused as the work of professional designers in the area.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“As Valjean, Connor Barr gives a performance that is (there’s no nice or diplomatic way to say this) better than Zach Theatre’s Valjean, Pat McRoberts. While I criticized McRoberts’ “thin, frail voice,” Barr’s voice has a blend of power and gentility. I also said that McRobert’s acting was “bizarre and awkward” and “punctuated with strange facial contortions,” while Barr on the other hand gives a constantly present, believable, and engaging performance.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“Every full cast number looks and sounds exquisite, and that is a testament to the hardworking ensemble of over 60 young performers.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Me and My Girl

"Multi-talented director Joshua Denning proves to be one of the most detail-oriented high school directors that I've come across. As a highly trained performer, Denning knows exactly what audiences react to. He is known for creating larger shows, and his tastes tend to lean towards the larger, more dramatic sets that feel quite operatic in nature. His staging has an operatic flair, as well, as his large casts are skillfully placed within each ensemble scene, creating beautiful tableaus time and time again."

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

"ME & MY GIRL contains no less than sixty-six members in the cast, and every performer moves with clock-like precision. These young performers also have such a brilliant, mature collective sound, that at times, I would forget that I was watching high school students at all; it was clear that Music Director Sarah Hirsch did a magnificent job with this cast. As a new member of the faculty this year, Ms. Hirsch comes to McCallum from Yale and NYU, and with her impressive resume as an accomplished composer of musical theatre, she is an exciting addition to McCallum's strong program."

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

"Another new faculty addition this year, accomplished choreographer Natalie Jolly-Uehara is one of the stars of this production, as she has worked with Denning to create some of the finest choreography that I've seen in any high school musical. In scenes such as the joy-infused, full-ensemble number "The Lambeth Walk," the cast was so thoroughly rehearsed and well-choreographed, that I was reminded once again that McCallum raises the bar on high school musicals in this city; there was not one single weak link. This massive cast possesses both male and female "triple-threats", and Uehara is adept in getting the most out of her performers. A graduate of Marymount Manhattan, Uehara recently relocated to Austin from Honolulu, Hawaii. In Uehara's spare time every Saturday, she offers free tap classes to any student in the academy who wishes to "polish their time-step." It seems that her efforts have paid-off tremendously."

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

"Denning and the rest of this impressive faculty have achieved new heights with ME & MY GIRL; their cast has spoiled me for all others. Run, don't walk...catch one of the final performances before they abscond back to Lambeth!"

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Moon Over Buffalo

“The McCallum Fine Arts Academy’s production of MOON OVER BUFFALO is a fast-paced, delightful situation comedy that I highly recommend.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“But make no mistake; the young artists at McCallum are not typical teenagers, but well-trained raw talent that audiences will most certainly hear from in the future.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Sondheim On Sondheim

“Director, Choreographer and Set Designer Joshua Denning has done a remarkable job here. The evening flows beautifully and is staged impressively. I especially loved the set which was part back stage, part costumer shop, part prop room and still its own creation.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“I am very impressed with the quality of these young performers. With a cast of thirty, one expects that there will be a range of ability. Not the case here. These young performers have polish, style and presence.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“A maturity of approach and seems to really understand the emotionality and levels present in Sondheim. ”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“Exciting musical theatre done well.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

The Producers

“Joshua Denning, who recreated Susan Stroman’s original direction and choreography per the Broadway production, deserves the same standing ovation the cast received Thursday evening. The energetic, triple-threat ensemble contributed immensely to the wow-factor of the show, pulling off arguably difficult choreography as if it were easy. ”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“I was blown away by these talented high schoolers.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“The passion these kids have for musical theatre is amazing, and their dedication to putting on another impressive show was obvious. Not perfect, but not lacking much, the kids at McCallum Fine Arts Academy are Exhibit A when it comes to keeping arts in schools, and keeping talented students on the track to Broadway.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

Titanic

“On a simple, yet amazingly versatile, set by director Joshua Denning, Denning staged the show with fluidity, invention and dramatic power featuring clever choreography. The lighting by Scott Vanderberg was immensely effective and the projection work was the finest I have ever seen in town. Technically, the show was a knock-out.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“Rich and complex.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“I was simply swept away by the grandeur of the performance as a whole.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“TITANIC is engaging, entertaining and deeply moving... and you really can’t ask more of a musical than that. While McCallum Fine Arts Academy is, in essence, high school theatre; it is first and foremost theatre that is as fine as anything being produced on any stage in Austin... and that is high praise indeed.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

“In the impressive production staged by Joshua Denning at McCallum Fine Arts Academy, it reveals itself to be a show of great musical complexity as well as being a show capable of stirring the heart and mind simultaneously, a welcome antidote to all the overblown mega-musicals of today.”

— BROADWAY WORLD AUSTIN

West Side Story

What were the show's greatest strengths? What were the most enjoyable aspects of the show?

The greatest strengths were the direction, which had real vision, included some inventive staging, and created a strong sense of the conflict that serves as the foundation for this musical, and the choreography, which did so much to expand the emotional quality of what was felt on both the sides of the Puerto Ricans and the Americans. The dance work was really ambitious, but it was also executed with tremendous energy and finesse by everyone in the cast.